Not all cars on the roads have them and not all cars coming out of the factory can have them as standard. But there’s a reason why anti-lock braking systems or ABS has been around as a safety feature. If you’ve driven a car without an ABS, you might have experienced wheel-locking when braking one time or another. Slam too hard on the pedal at a certain speed and your liable to screech to a halt. ABS prevents that. In most four-wheel ABS systems, this allows you to maintain steering.

Without being too technical, ABS is basically a system of a computer and sensors monitoring the speed of each wheel. When you press down on the pedal, the system kicks in and it takes over how each wheel should slow down to prevent unnecessary skids. If you’re new to the whole ABS thing, you might not notice anything strange at all save for the occasional pulsing of the brake pedal when the system kicks in.

However, this isn’t a foolproof system that would guarantee that skids won’t ever happen. Definitely, you have to consider other factors like the condition and grip of your tires. The road surface will also be a factor. Oil and tar on the blacktop will definitely give you less grip than a paved concrete road. Your speed and direction would also play a factor. The ABS doesn’t necessarily shorten the stopping distance of your car too.

You might want to test the system out in an empty parking lot when you get the chance. You might notice that driving on wet surfaces would affect overall handling but you will notice a difference when the ABS is working. You ABS usually just continues to work silently (unless your car has some options to turn it off). Usually, when it fails, it means that the system is not active (and the amber ABS light on the dash lights up). Usually, your brakes would work just fine, it’s just that you won’t have the ABS to help you out. But take it to a qualified mechanic as soon as possible for repairs.

Another trademark of a defensive driver is to drive by the book. Boring for the daredevils out there, but this is a surefire way of lessening accident risks. This means that if you have developed a driving plan towards a particular destination, stick to it.

As part of planning ahead, you should be able to give yourself ample time and space to position your car in the appropriate lanes so you can predictably make a turn or any other move at the right moment. Mind your blind sides (especially if your car doesn’t have the newfangled camera systems). Avoid tailgating and keep driving within the minimum and maximum speed limits. Even slow driving can be dangerous at times.

If you are not familiar with the area and need the aid of a map, then pull off to the side or a parking lot and not stop in the middle of the road. Be aware of your turn signals. Don’t forget to switch it back (if it does not auto cancel) to normal if you fail to make a turn. Do not confuse other motorists as well.

Another key to excellent driving is to keep a cool temper while behind the wheels. Haven’t you wondered that most road mishaps and even traffic violations have happened and committed when emotions are running real high? This is for the obvious reason that when emotions kick in, judgment takes a backseat.

Road rage is definitely something that you might want to control. In some areas, surveys have indicated that around 70% of drivers actually suffer from road rage. That’s pretty much 7 out of 10 cars on the road. And there’s a very high chance that you and the tailgating bastard from behind fall into this category.

If you are already stressed or upset even before stepping into your car, I suggest that you try to settle yourself first. Walk a bit or if you really are in a hurry, count to ten while taking deep breaths before turning the ignition on. If you are already driving, better pull over first and calm yourself down before driving off again.

Try not to blow your top off when other drivers make mistakes. Focus on keeping yourself safe. Your life is not worthy of being gunned down by a psycho driver on the loose just because you flipped a finger at him when he cut you on the road.

For the health conscious and those who wish to kick their junk food habit while driving on long trips with the family. Here are a few tips on what to eat. It ain’t a nature trail but, it sure does come close to it. By the way, the driver should always keep his or her attention on the road and not on the cooler.

Keep a small cooler in your car. You car might not be a camper with a fridge or a limo with a minibar but a small cooler can always be accessible. Fruit slices like apples, bananas, and pears make good snacks. Dried fruits can also be an option.

Be sure to check that they’re the more healthy variety. Vegetable sticks like carrots and celery are another option. Grapes, cherries, and cherry tomatoes need not be sliced. Kids may prefer to have dips with their sticks so keep yogurt and low fat dressing in the cooler as well. Some cheese and mini sandwiches of cream cheese and peanut butter can also do the trick for the tots.

Instead of candy, pack some trail mix. Try the one mixed with chocolate. You can also mix your own granola at home before leaving. Include lots of dried fruits and nuts!

If you’re the kitchen-type of person, why not bake a batch or two of oatmeal cookies the night before the trip? Include this in your snack pack.

Brake warning lights are there on the dash because they serve a purpose. What it does is to alert the driver that something is wrong with the braking system. It it suddenly lights up, immediately check your owner’s manual as it can mean a lot of things.

It can simply mean that the hand or parking brake is on and that you just need to disengage it. It can also mean the DOT-3/brake fluid in the master cylinder is low. If you smell something burning and it comes on, then the reason is obvious. If you do have an ABS-equipped car, then this means that you have an ABS light on the dash. This usually comes on when the car is started then switches off later. If it lights up, blinks, or stays on, then the ABS computer has gone a bit awry. Unfortunately, the problem can be as simple as a foreign matter has messed up with one of the sensors, or as complex as replacing the entire ABS unit.

In any case, if the warning light goes on, the best course of action, still is to get it scanned and tested by a qualified mechanic. Your braking system is not one to just ignore. As I would put it, stopping is more important than getting from 0-60 in sub-8 seconds. Getting a portable ODB-II scanner that you can easily link to your car’s diagnostic port can also give you an immediate result as to what’s causing the problem. Just have a reference guide of the error codes for your car.

Collisions usually happen when one or both the drivers are inattentive. Inattention in turn can be caused by several reasons – fatigue, drowsiness, talking, distractions, fiddling with the radio… As a defensive driver, one must be alert to be able to recognize the hazards that could be present on the road so that they could be avoided in time. Distracted driver kills. In the UK, they’ve already made moves to make fines a lot heftier just by driving distracted. So while we don’t have sterner legislation to make up for it, just make sure to keep your focus on the road.

This could be quite a difficult task, but the only way to be really alert while driving is to concentrate solely on what you are doing. Observe yourself. Find out how long it takes before your concentration falters and your mind starts to trouble itself with other things. Try to do this everyday and try to lengthen the time of concentration. Make a conscious effort of not doing anything else while driving.

Reserve doing your daily rituals outside the car. I’ve seen them. People who shave using the rear view. Drivers reading the paper behind the wheel. Guys chomping down on their happy meals. There’s only one thing that you should do behind the wheel and that’s to focus on the road. Even if it’s too tempting to make use of technology, try not to fidget with your phone. If you really need to take calls, then invest in a good hands-free car kit - one that require one-touch answering and dropping, provides a loudspeaker or an ear piece.

Eliminate risks when driving by managing them. How to do that? Defensive driving is the key. And many defensive drivers will tell you that it all starts with planning and keeping ahead of the pack. This translates to determining your routes and observing the risks that they present. Does your usual route present risks of intersection collisions? Do most of the motorists change lanes suddenly? Would these risks be avoided if you change your route?

Try out different routes and observe how most of the motorists behave. Take note of the various intersections, turns, and lane changes you need to cross or use. Observe traffic situations and the length of time it takes for you to get to your destination. Consider all of these factors until you formulate the best route to take. The key here is to plan ahead, which is an integral part of defensive driving.

There’s also the obvious benefit of having to go through the quickest and least congested areas too. With the pump prices nearly $5 a gallon, you definitely need a gas break. So fire up your GPS system (or your trusty map) and draw up the best routes to get from Point A to Point B.

Just three important tips to keep your sanity while driving in one of those long-distance holiday trips:

Try to avoid the holiday crowd. Best to plan the traveling so that you don’t spend the holiday on the road stuck with the other motorists because of the monstrous traffic jam! Be observant. There are holidays where most of the people travel days before rather than on the holiday itself (for example Thanksgiving). In this case, better hit the road on the exact day.

Be prepared for anything! Always keep a cache of emergency supplies and ration sin your vehicle. Include blankets, a flashlight, some candles and a box or two of matches, a bandana or tea towel, some paper towels, a first aid kit, fresh batteries, a container of water and some interesting reading materials. Bringing canned items and drinks (no alcohol) is also a good idea. This is in case bad weather strikes and the roads become impassable.

Lastly, take advantage of electronic distractions. Now is the time to bring your laptop, portable DVD player, and MP3 player with you. If you are worried about the amount of batteries you’ll use, get a power inverter. If you get in an area with good wireless service, you can always go online and check for road updates.

Car overheating? Then one (or more) of these could be the source of your problem:

Your car’s water pump may not be doing its work well. How do you know if this happens? If you are observant, you’d notice that there is a strong coolant odor while driving and there would also be small spots of coolant under the car. If the damage is worse, you’ d hear a tinny screeching noise and a very telling leak from the front of the pump or under the car.

The hose or the fan belt is broken. Hoses and fan belts do wear out and break and once they do, coolant will not be circulated through the engine which will then lead to overheating.

Read the rest of this entry »

This is for pet lovers who can’t help but bring their pets with them in their car trips. Choosing the right restraint for your pet dog depends on several factors which include the breed and size of the animal and the type of the vehicle you are driving.

The quickest way to deposit your dog in your vehicle is through the use of a pet seat belt system. It can be a harness which attaches to the car’s seat belt, or it can have hooks which you can install in larger vehicles. This allows more freedom and comfort to your pets, as they are made with nylon that are padded and adjustable, making sure that pressure is does not suffocate your pet. The cost of this safety contraption can go up to $60.

Pet car seats, which cost from $40 to $80, are also like the seatbelt but it also gives more prevention from injury in case of accidents, as most are framed in sturdy steel.

For cats and smaller dogs, pet carriers can be the best option. Not only they offer the freedom of the seatbelt and the protection of the car seat, but they also offer a more reassuring environment to pets that are not used to traveling. For larger pets, a more spacious version of a carrier, a pet crate is more advisable as they can be placed in the back of SUV’s and station wagons.